Hydrocarbon treatment process and apparatus



' Oct. 25, 1932. H.y T. DARLINGTN 1,884,586

' HYDRooARBoN' TREATMENT PRooEss AND APPARATUS Filed April `25. 1927 Patented Oct. 25, 1.932

UNITED `sine-ras .P'ATENr-.ol-*FICE IBYIOMER T. DAB-LINGTON, F WEST CHESTER, PENNSYLVANIA,"ASSIGNOB, BY MIESNII ASSIGNMENTS, TO OILCOBPORATION OF AMERICA, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE v HYDROCARBON TREATMENT PROCESS ANI) APPARATUS Application led April 25,

My invention relates to a new and useful process and apparatus for distilling, cracking and otherwisetreating liquid hydrocarbons. The nature of my invention Will more clearly appear by reference to the accompanying drawing and the description which follows of the apparatus, specially designed.

and invented by me for use in my process.

In the drawing:

or chamber 1 With means of admitting charging stock 15,` means of introducing gas or steam or a treatment or other addition agent 16, and means for the Withdrawal of heavier 20 products 17, is connected to chambers 3 and by a plurality of heating tubes in two groups 2 and 11. The chambers 3 and 10 give into pump connectors 4 and 9 respectively, putting them into communication with the centrifugal pump 5 having in impeller 6 operated through the shaft 7 by the motor 8. The heating tubes 2 and 11 are provided with any suitable means of heating, such as a irebox or furnace or heat fiues therefrom surrounding them.

12 is a zone in the elongated tubular chamber 1, or it may be added or supplemental chamber, in which vapors and gases separate and from which 4they pass to any suitable meansV of cooling and separating. In

this passage, baies 13 to arrest moisture, and-` cooling coils 14, or either of them, may, or may not, be provided as preferred. 18 is a zone in which solids may settle.

n WhilevI prefer to use a centrifugal pump having an impeller asY a means of promoting circulation any other means of causing posi- `tive controlled-circulation may be employed instead. f5 i To increasel variations in rapidity of circulation and in pressuresv during circulation, `I may haveagreater number ofvtubes in vone group of heating tubes than in the other, and Imay so proportion thechambers 3 and' 10 and pump connectors 4 and 9 that rates 1927. Serial No. 186,462.

of circulation and intensity of pressure in them will dilferfrom that in other parts of the apparatusv and will differ in one chamber and connector (say 3 and 4) from that in the other chamber and connector 9 and 10.

The use of an impeller 6 to promote and dominate circulation also produces certain definite pulsations and consequent vibrations in intensity of pressure and in speed of circulation. These variations in pressure are due in part to the forces of suction and pressure which are developed on opposite sides of the impeller or pump. Incidental to these various changes in vpressure and rate of circulation, eddes and currents are induced in the hydrocarbons, not present when the flow is a direct stream, Which help to keep dis- Y associated-carbon in suspension and to facilitate and increase cracking.

In operation, charging stock, either cold or preheated, is fed continuously or intermittently inte the chamber in the tubular member 1 and is forced by the impeller 6 to flow through heating tubes 2 Where it is raised to a temperature conducive to cracking, and thence flows continuously through the chamber 3, pump connection 4, pump 5 and back through the pump connection 9 chamber 10, tubes 11 into the chamber in the tubular chamber 1 Where vapors and gases ascend and are drawn off and the hot oil circulates through the chamber and, less any portion that maybe drawn olf (through 17), is recycled..

In this cycting and recycling, the hydrocarbons are heated to a temperature conducive to cracking, varying slightly in different parts of -the apparatus, circulate rapidly at varying rates, and are subject to pressure also conducive to cracking, varying frequently and at times abruptly. These variations in pressure and rapidity of circulation, I find materially aid theformation of low-boilingpoint hydrocarbons from higher-boilingpoint hydrocarbons. I have also found that the shock of contact when cold oil is forcedl into hot oil rapidly circulating under pressure and the sudden change of temperature result,- ing from their commingling .tends to cause the oil to crack.V i

The introduction of a catalyst, steam, hot gases, or a treatment agent such as bentonite, hydrated lime, etc., or of some combination o them, into the circulating hydrocarbons in the manner rovided for, promotes cracking and the su equent separation of vapors and gases.4 I have shown and described an embodiment of my invention well adapted for my process, lo but my apparatus may be varied in form and A in `detail without defeating its purpose, and my process may be worked with any suitable apparatus.

I claim 1. The process of producing low-boilingpoint hydrocarbons from hlgher-boilingpoint hydrocarbons which comprises controlled positive rapid circulation of the hyf drocarbons by mechanical means b suction through a primary bank of tubes Wit a pump and simultaneously forcing through a. secondary bank of tubes with the same pump under conditions of tem erature conducive to cracking and under iiequently varying super-atmospheric pressure, discharging the cracked products from said secondary ank l of tubes into a vaporizing zone, separating vapors fromunvaporized oil and returning the unvaporized oil to said primary bank of lheating tubes for retreatment.

2. In an, ap aratus for the treatment of hydrocarbons fldr the production of low boiling-point hydrocarbons from high boiling-y point hydrocarbons, the combination of a vaporizing chamber, two separate banks 0f heating tubes connected with the chamber, a

single means of/connection between' the two banks of heating tubes, and a pumping device interposed in said means for providing 40 a controlled positive pulsative circulation of oil from the vaporizing chamber directly through the first bank of heating tubes and thence through the second bank of heating tubes back into the va orizing chamber. HOMER DARLINGTON. 

